16 replies to this topic Post Order

[sr2106]

Here we go again, bakkie stolen in Alberton - Netstar unable to locate - why do we pay ?

[Eldron]

Sometimes the cars are stolen by ex Netstar employees who are aware of the common places the tracker is placed - within seconds said tracker is in the bin next to the car.... Very little Netstar can do in a case like that....

[sr2106]

Yip - run a fleet of all the same type bakkies, every time we get a recovery the tracking unit is (was) in the same place.
Time to change service providers !!!!!!!!

[SeanN]

I had a complaint about my tracking unit a year ago that it wasnt working, techie came out to fix it. He so called said its fixed bla bla bla and off he went.
I did random poll tests on it and thought maybe its just my new cell number that the unit wasnt responding to.

A year later I call them and the calls are recorded I must add... I ask the guy where is my car, give him the reg and he says to me the unit isnt operational there is still an open job card on it. So I said thanks and goodbye.

I contacted their customer service and demanded a refund for the full amount as they have been charging for a service for the past 12 months and the unit isnt operational.
3 weeks later after battling for a response this woman comes back to me with with some BS figure that they calculated so I said to her how the hell do you get to that figure when its nowhere near what Ive paid the past year in all my monthly premiums.

So a few back and forwards and 1 threat they fixed the unit, refunded my money for the whole year and I was happy to continue the relationship.

Since then I must say they are on the ball and I can recommend C-Track

I suppose you do need to check if your unit is operational regularly but then in my opinion if they are taking your money they also need to alert you that your unit is non operational as and when.

[Bianchisti]

This is like the Vodacom thread! Service levels is rediculous!

[nolipoli]

I have been having trouble with my car not idling for a little while. The service guy said it was probably something electrical that was faulting.
So suddenly the car starts idling properly again, and the same day I get a call from Netstar to say my unit isn't working and I must take it in to be fixed.

Coincidence?

I have cancelled my contract, and enjoy a working car again.

[Woolf]

They do however recover quite a few cars.  In my line of work I deal with the helicopters on a daily basis and it's quite sad to see how many cars are hi-jacked every day.  Nothing better than hearing them say "We've recovered the vehicle, thanks for the help"

[Tumbleweed]

A mate got nailed by a blue-light gang a while back. Tracker couldn't locate his car. The cops said sometimes the cars are parked undercover in places like malls, etc, and the signal can't be located. Any truth to this? It's weird because Tracker did pick up a signal and located his car about three weeks later.

[Digistu]

Yip they tried parking them in an undercover parking at a certain casino, car was parked there for a week. Cops and security simply monitored the car and waited for them to come and collect.

[Bateleur1]

Tumbleweed, on 20 July 2012 - 09:31 , said:

A mate got nailed by a blue-light gang a while back. Tracker couldn't locate his car. The cops said sometimes the cars are parked undercover in places like malls, etc, and the signal can't be located. Any truth to this? It's weird because Tracker did pick up a signal and located his car about three weeks later.

Very possible. Depending on the tracking device they might have two ways of getting a position.  First is a gps.  In a parking garage GPS signal is normally lost.  But most tracking devices are connected to cellphone networks to relay the info.  Now they can use the cellphone signal to triangulate (spelling) the location using cellphone towers.  10 years ago SA cellphone networks was not as dense as in Europe as far as cellphone towers are concerned but I am sure now it is better so the can get to within 50 meters of a device.

However if a parking garage is underground or something and there is no cellphone reception then this is possible.

There is a rumour but I have not been able to cofirm this that there is now a jamming device for cellphone signals. Rumour has it that a professor at Tukkies has had enough of students fiddeling with their cellphones during lectures.  So he made a device that jamms these signals within a certain radius.  The prof can now continue with his lectures.  However this came into the wrong hands and criminals are now using it to disable tracking devices.

[TNT1]

Bateleur1, on 20 July 2012 - 10:04 , said:

There is a rumour but I have not been able to cofirm this that there is now a jamming device for cellphone signals. Rumour has it that a professor at Tukkies has had enough of students fiddeling with their cellphones during lectures.  So he made a device that jamms these signals within a certain radius.  The prof can now continue with his lectures.  However this came into the wrong hands and criminals are now using it to disable tracking devices.

Dunno about the professor story, but such devices exist, and are used in some theatres overseas.

[JGR]

Useless. I got sent a final letter of demand from these jokers! I have never owned a netstar! my previous company's car (6yrs ago) had one and i was the driver. I have no association with my previous company for 4yrs and now they say i am liable as the payments stopped two months ago? WTF?

[Iron]

Wow , think its time i test my Tracker unit in the car

[Bateleur1]

TNT1, on 20 July 2012 - 10:06 , said:

Dunno about the professor story, but such devices exist, and are used in some theatres overseas.

As I said it is a rumour.

I am not electronic engineer but I don't think it is really that much rocket science. This tecnology is being used in military aircraft for decades.  I must have filtered down to civilian use at some point in time.  Just hope the criminals using it radiates their balls to the size of raisins while they at it.

[Bateleur1]

Iron, on 20 July 2012 - 10:25 , said:

Wow , think its time i test my Tracker unit in the car

Well I installed tracker in my car when I bought it a year ago and if you look at the small print they state that the onus is on you to test your device regularly and also everytime after you car was in for a service or had any electrical work done on it.  The insurance can have reason not to pay you out if your car was stolen and you did not check that the device is working regularly.

[Grebel]

TNT1, on 20 July 2012 - 10:06 , said:

Dunno about the professor story, but such devices exist, and are used in some theatres overseas.

Pick one...

Signal Jammer

Edit: I don't know how well they work or even if they work but they are available.

Edited by Grebel, 20 July 2012 - 10:35 .